Where Your Success Is Our Success

There should be no doubt at this point that technology has changed the world in some pretty significant, and potentially permanent ways. From shopping to teaching, there are few places where technology has not changed things in some seriously radical ways, and modern business is no exception. There are a lot of ways that many businesses have already adopted technology with great results. Marketing is one of the most obvious examples, with plenty of businesses seeing the benefits of things like social media as methods of interacting and engaging with their customers. Of course, there are also plenty of other, slightly less obvious ways in which technology can benefit your business. The kinds of things that you might not have ever considered but once you put them into practice, you won’t be able to remember how you ever survived without them. Here are just a few unexpected ways that technology could potentially take your business to the next level.

Employee Management

The more employees you have, the harder they are to manage. That’s hardly going to come as much of a shock to most business owners. And yet, many of them still haven’t learned to use technology to make this easier. This is often because they don’t want to take the human element out of managing employees. What they don’t realize is that technology for managing employees isn’t going to replace the human element, it’s simply going to improve and streamline it. From software that helps you write up contracts for new employees to human capital management systems that make HR management and employee relations far easier to monitor and manage, technology is making it far easier than ever before to take care and get the very best from your employees. Just don’t let the technology come between you and your staff, it’s important never to lose that genuine, human connection.

Training

The modern world moves incredibly quickly, and because of this, your employees need to be ready for just about anything. It’s never been more important that your employees are well-trained in every aspect of your business. Luckily there are plenty of pieces of technology and software that make training employees far easier than ever before. Whether it’s presentation software so that you can train them yourself, or programs that allow them to train themselves independently, it’s never been easier keep your entire team up to date on all of the latest goings on.

Constant Communication

There was a time when, if you wanted to get in touch with someone, they pretty much had to be at their desk. Whether you wanted to call them, email them, or speak to them face to face, if they weren’t at their desk, you couldn’t reach them. Now every single one of your employees has a powerful computer in their pocket. Thanks to smartphones and instant messaging, you can get it touch with employees no matter where they are. This is breaking down the traditional idea of “the office” in some radical and exciting ways, making remote working a far more feasible option for many people.

Getting your business scaled up in many ways takes time and effort, but the one thing that you cannot scrimp on in the short term is upgrading your security. As is the nature of the digital world, we need to be protective of our data, and the nature of the physical world means that with the amount of break-ins a company can suffer, we need to be vigilant on all sides. What methods can you do right now to ensure that your company is as protected as it can possibly be?

Being Protective With Your Data

The amount of leaks in data, and the amount of “losses” of personal information now is an unbelievable amount. The Data Protection Act in the UK has a list of key fundamental tenets, and one of them is to make sure that data is disposed of in a secure and safe fashion. This is something that can be implemented in the office instantly. This can be done either by delegating someone to check everyone’s desks at the end of each working day, or to encourage a workplace culture where everyone is responsible for their own workstation. Communicating the consequences of lost data is important too. Losing data will not only make your company look incompetent, but it will also make customers lose faith in your abilities, and as a result, customers could easily go to a competitor. A few simple tweaks in the office, such as installing bins solely for the purpose of sensitive information, which can be shredded, and having lockable cabinets or desk drawers will help to keep information secure and confidential.

Getting Security Cameras Installed

It is essential, if you have many people coming in and out of the business, to have methods of keeping the building secure. A lot of newer companies may think about bypassing security cameras because it is an “unnecessary” expense. But, on the contrary, it is probably the most essential piece of equipment you can have in your office. If you cannot afford anything such as a security camera in the short-term, you can install “dummy” cameras, or if you have the finances at your disposal, going for a security firm, like Cannon Guards, or another specialist company, will keep your mind at ease.

Make Sure You Have Anti-Virus Software Installed

The importance of keeping data secure is integral to the success of any business. And while it is simple to purchase the latest software, the nature of computer viruses becoming more sophisticated as time goes on means that you, as a business, must be extra vigilant when it comes to data loss, hackers or malware. While having the right software is the most important step to complete computer security, communicating to your staff the importance of changing your passwords on a regular basis, being wary of questionable email addresses and attachments that come from outside the organization is just as important. Having your system hacked or losing data is one way to help hurt your business on a large scale!

As a small business owner I am always looking for new lead sources. In the past, networking has worked the best for me for new business leads. A long time ago I received an email from an online B2B matching service, Thumbtack.com. I thought I will give it a try and let you know how it turns out. I plan to focus on only one of my service offerings, financial modeling for valuations and private equity investment purposes. Click here to check out my profile on Thumbtack.com and let me know what you think. Your comments are welcome.